Where to go? U of M or U of W?

Prospective university students in the Winnipeg area usually choose between two main contenders — the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba. Deciding which is the better fit can be overwhelming.

Signe Hansen, a student at the U of W, explains her reasoning for choosing the school.

"When I started at the University of Winnipeg, the tuition fees were slightly lower than at the University of Manitoba. Also, the idea of crossing a large open campus in the middle of winter was a bit discouraging," she said.

Tuition prices do differ slightly between the schools. For 2013, the average three-credit-hour course at the U of W cost an estimated $322.50, while at the U of M it is an estimated $363.40.

In 2011, there were 9,394 undergraduate students attending the U of W. According to the University, this has allowed it to treat students like individuals with "small class sizes, personal attention, accessible professors, active student groups, and cost-free supports which are all geared to help you excel throughout your academic career."

The U of M has almost 25,000 undergraduate students. David Metcalfe went there directly out of high school because it was the more popular choice among his peers, he says, then transferred to the U of W for his second year. He is now transferring back to the U of M.

"I switched to the University of Winnipeg because my major was sociology and that is a major that is fairly universal between the schools. I also find the location more convenient for me," Metcalfe explains. "I also feel like the University of Winnipeg is more of a glorified high school rather than an actual university. It just wasn’t the school for me," he continued.

Metcalfe has some words of advice for people deciding between the two. He believes that "the University of Winnipeg is easier to be socially. The University of Manitoba has the bigger classrooms, the bigger campus, more responsibility given to students, and people treat you like adults," Metcalfe says.

Being realistic about what you want from a post-secondary education is helpful in making the choice.

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